The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-05-15

authors matinee, was successful in so
far that. as a whole. it was so clear an
approach to the poets ideal, that, if the
venerable poet himself had been present,
he could hardly have failed to
have been pleased with the effort. 1t
was announced that the story as rep
reseL ted on the stage had been drama
tized from Tennyson's poem by Messrs.
George Parsons Lathrop and Henry
Edwards; Both these gentlemen are
possessed of scholarly ability. and are
themselves deeply imbued with the
poetic temperament, and the highest
praise that can be given to their work is
that it nowhere obtruded itself or in
any way clashed with the perfect enjoy
ment of the original text. which was ad-
hered to as closely as possible. The
work done by some of the cast was sur
prisingly effective-notably~i the cases
of Miss Annie Russell, upon whom
devolved the arduous and delicate task
of creating the title role-Mr. AieXander
Salvini as the Sir Laucelot, and Messrs.
Walden Ramsey and Louis Massen as
Sir Lavaine and Sir Tore respectively.
Miss Russell assuredly lacked nothing
in external to present an ideal embodi-
ment of the pure-souled, fragile, high
bred maiden, who nursed and tended
the wounded lover of the queen, and i,
in all innocence of his identity, loved
him; thereafter, finding her love hope
less, faded away. She moreover dis
played such an intense appreciation OF
the sentiment OF the sad story. and
brought to its illustration so evident a
sincerity and pathos that did the highest
credit to her artistic sense and made
profound impression on the audience.
OF course it was inevitable that the
death of Elaine should seem to follow
with TOO much rapidity upon the de-
parture of Lancelot; but even the
for this undue precipitancy was sensibly
mitlgated by the admiration excited by
Miss Russell's WORK. Mr.. Salvini was
handsome and knightly figure, though
perhaps a triae 100 pOnderous for the
coursly Lanceiot. His sonorous voice
and his graceful carriage, as well as his
energy. stood him 10 good stead, and he
easily divided the honors of the repre-
sentation with Miss Russell. Mr.. Wal
den Ramsey is to be highly commended
for his spirited rendering of the descrip
lion OF the tournamentin which Lance
lot WAS endorsed and wounded; and
Mr.. Mssseu, through a triie bois ferrous
occasionally, Was Unexpectedly efficient
as the bluff Sir Tore. Miss Marie Bur
foughs. as Queen Guinevere, looked so
distracNngly pretty, that one could
easily excuse SIR Laacelot for his devo
ton 10 her-the more especially that
King Arthur, as REPRESENTED by Mr..
Harry Pitt, was evidently a gentleman
of rather captious disposition Inclined
10 argument, and altogether aggraVat-
ing. 0utof ali the legends and roman
ces concerning the blameless king,
whose chief delight consisted in harry
ing the heather and indulging IN oc-
casional high jinks with his knights,
there is certainly nothing TO warrant
the assumption that he was lapguld
swell, Mr.. Pitts get up would have
hem perfect as one of the Seven Cham
pions of Christendom in one OF MIR.
Augustus Harris great holiday specta-
cIes: but it must be confessed that MS
appearance and manner came perilous-
" nesr 10 upsetting the gravity OF the
audience more than once. MISS May
ROBSON was pretty and pert as Llanyd,
aud Ar. Stockton did himself proud as
The dunno seryitor, and was especially
mure, si7e in TIE ta6leau arranged att
Ar. TOBY Rosentha!'s famous picture.
.yith which the piece concludes. This